Cashier&#39;s table for self-service stores



W. POTRAF KE `lune 1, 1965 CASHIERS TABLE FOR SELF-SERVICE STORES Filed Feb. 26, 1962 M I w 25J .J @i f y 6 2 a w i,

United States Patent .a a it.

-a crains. (el. rss- 1) The present invention relates to a cashier station for self-service stores. In self-service stores, the customer takes the goods in a portable basket or in a carriage to the cashier who registers the 'individual items, totals the price and, as the case may be, returns the change. In order to enable the cashier immediately after having registered the price for the goods of 'one customer to serve the next customer, provision must be made that the goods of the rst customer can be transported to a place where the customer can pick up his goods and put the same into a bag while not interfering with the access of the next customer to the cashier. While with a proper design of a cashier station a fast and skillful operation of the cashier may be expected, it has to be taken into consideration that many customers are slow in handing the goods to the cashier, in packing the goods and paying therefor.

Arrangements are known according to which the cashier stations have a plurality of withdrawal compartments which are respectively allotted to the various customers after their purchased goods have been registered and the price therefor has been totalled. These compartments are so arranged that when the customer stands in front of his respective withdrawal compartment, he has left the place where he deposited the goods for registration bythe cashier who withdrew the goods from the container in which the customer brought the goods to the cashier station and after registering the goods placed the same into the respective withdrawal compartment for the customer,

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved cashiersstation for rself-service stores, which will facilitate a prompt servicing `of the respective customer and the transfer of the purchased goods from the depositing station, where the customer deposited the goods for the cashier to be registered, to the withdrawal station.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cashiers station as set forth in the preceding paragraph, which is relatively simple in construction and operation.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l diagrammatically illustratesa side view and partially a section of a cashiers station according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the cashiers station shown in FIG. 1.

The cashiers station according to the present invention comprises, as stated above, a plurality of withdrawal stations into which the cashier places the registered goods of a customer at one side of said compartments and from which the customer withdraws the vgoods atthe otherV ii Patented June i, 1h65 ICC can at the same time also easily reach the respective compartment. 1

' The said carriage may also support additional devices and apparatuses, as for instance the change return, discount stamp ejector, etc., which devices and apparatuses are so arranged that they can likewise be easily reached and operated by a cashier `on said scat.

The seat supported by said carriage may be a foldable seat or a tiltable seat so that the seat can be folded or tilted out of the way in case the cashier should prefer to stand up rather than to sit on said seat. Of course, if desired, the seat may be omitted altogether and provision may be made merely for a stand for the cashier from which the latter can reachand operate the various apparatuses on the carriage and the withdrawal compartments, while a support may be provided against which the cashier may lean.

Above the said withdrawal compartments there is provided a money'strip or chute for receiving the money from the customer and for returning the change to the customer. This money strip -or payment strip is arranged parallel to kthe path of the carriage in such a way that it will be accessible from the discharge side of the Withdrawal compartments and also from the seat or stand of the cashier. If the carriage supports a change return, the latter is expediently arranged at such a level that it will be above the withdrawal compartments and that the discharge spout will be above the payment strip so that the change will be discharged through said spout onto said payment strip.

The space ahead of the side from which the goods are placed by the cashier into the withdrawal compartments is confined by a wall serving as cover which wall may be provided with a door for permitting the passage of the cashier and the carriage therethrough.

ln many instances the physical effort of the cashier will suffice for moving the carriage back and forth. However, if desired, the carriage may also be provided with a drive operable from the seat or stand of the cashier.

According to the ...present invention the various apparatuses to be handled by the cashier and the means for receiving the purchased goods to be registered by the cashier and for receiving the registered goods are so 1ocated that they will be within easy reach of the cashier when sitting down or standingup so that the cashiers work will be greatly facilitated and speeded up.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the cashiers stand as shown therein comprises withdrawal compartments 11, 12 and 15, which are conned by the outer walls 14 and 15 and the partitions 16 and 17 and the further outer wall 13. The reference numeral 19 designates a support for the pocket book of the customer, or the like.

The frame work comprising the compartments 11, 12 and 13 rests on columns 20 supporting the base plate 21. The frame work furthermore comprises an inner wall 22 which carries shelves 23. ln this way three superimposed compartments 24 are formed in whichy for instance packving material, such as bags, may be stored. The bottom surface 25 of the withdrawal compartments 11, 12 and 13 is inclined toward the outside so that the goods placed by the cashier into said compartments will slide toward the front of said compartments. The outer Walls 14, 15, and partitions 16 and 17 have mounted thereon brackets 26 which support the payment strip or elongated tray 27 for receiving the purchasing money and returning the change.

The arrangement shown in the drawing furthermore comprises rails 28 on which a carriage 30a is displaceable by means of wheels 29. The carriage 30a comprises a base plate 30 having mounted thereon a leg 31 carrying a table plate 32 which is preferably adjustable as to height. `VOn said table plate 32 there are mounted the cash register 3.7 and the discount stamp ejector 38. The tableV plate 32 furthermore comprises a place or deposit sec. tion on which the customer deposits the basket39 containing .the goods to be purchased. The table plate also supports a bracket 40 which carries the change return de- CII vice 41 with the discharge spout 42. The table plate 32 The; track for the carriage 3d is surrounded by a skirt 43 extending approximately down to the floor. The front wa1l144gof said skirt 43 is foldable byA means of a hinge.

The` operation of the cashiers station as shown in the drawing may be carried out in the following manner. The cashier iirst moves the carriage far enoughA so as to be able to sit down on the seat 34 and then moves the carriage into a position from which the cashier can serv.- ice the customer who has deposited a basket 39- with goods to be purchased on the place of the table plate 32 provided therefor. The cashier then asks the customer to proceed to, one of the withdrawal compartments 11, 12 or 13. In the meantime, the cashier registers gone item after the other in the cash register 37 and places the respective registeredr items into the corresponding allotted rwith-V drawal compartment. In the meantime the cashier has movedV herself into a position from which the respective withdrawal compartment cank be reached easily. After all; goods to be purchased by the respective customer have been registered andA the price therefor has been totalled, and after the items have been placed into the respective withdrawal compartment, the customer puts the pur.- chasing money upon the payment strip or tray 27 'from Where the cashier withrawsk the money, whereupon she lcauses the change return device, as the case may be, to

place the change onto the payment strip or tray 27. The

cashier then mayy service the next customer while the serviced customer will have suicient time to Withdraw the change, check the same and to withdraw the purchased goods fromV the. respective compartment and place. said goods into bags.

The new cashiers station is ofba particularly short length and is composed of very simple structural elements. It is, of course, to =be understood that the presentV in vention is by no means limited to Vthe particular construction shown in the drawing ibut also comprises any modiiications within the scope of theA appended claims.

Thus, while the drawing showsv only'three withdrawal compartments, theinurnber of said compartments may be considerably increased.

What I claim is:

l. A cashiers station including a cash register for selfservice stores, which comprises in combination: a plurality'of withdrawal compartments substantially rectangular when. viewed from above and in side byl side relation for receiving purchased goodsafter theprice of the latter has been registered by said cash. register, each of said rcompartmentshaving a charging. side. on the side toward the 'cash` register at which the purchased goodsr are placed into. the respective compartment and also having a with drawal side on the side remote from the cash register at which fthe customer withdraws the Vgoods purchasedv by the customer, the charging sides of said compartments being in a common plane andthe longitudinal axes of s aid compartments beingparallel, non rotatable table means supporting said cash register, said table means also including a depositing section for receiving `the A goods selected by. thecustomer prior to the registration of the price of said goods by. said cash, register, a. seat between thetable and said Withdrawal compartments, a carriage supporting said ltable means and said seat, and means supporting said carriage for movement selectively trans-y versely in a straight line with regard to the longitudinal axes of said compartments into a plurality of positions from each of which said cash register and said depositing section andthe charging side' of at least one ofsaid cornpartments are within easy reach of a person on said seat.

2. A cashiers station according to claim 1, in which said table means has alsoY mounted thereon a change return device and a discount stamp ejector, said change return device and said discount stamp ejector being within easy reach of aperson on said seat.

3. A cashier-s station including a cash register for selfservice stores, which comprisesl in combination: a plurality of withdrawal compartments substantially rectangular when viewed from above and in sideby side relation for receiving purchased goodsv after the price of the latter has been registered by said cash register, each of said com-l partmentshaving a charging side` on the side toward: the cash register at which the purchased goods are placed into the respective compartment and also, having a'withdrawal side on the side remoteY from the cash register at which the customer withdraws the goods.ipurchasedabyfthe customer, table means supporting said cash registenthe charging sides of said compartments being'in a common plane and -the longitudinal; axes of saidfcompartments, being parallel, non rotatable table means also including a depositing section for receiving .the goods selected by the customer prior to thev registration of the price of said goods by said cashl register, a cashiers stand bet-Ween said table and said withdrawal compartments a carriage supporting saidtable means and said stand, and means supporting saidcarriage for movementY thereof transversely and in a straight line with regard to the longitudinal axes of said compartments selectively into any one of a plurality of positions from each ofV whichsaid cash register and said depositingsection and ythe charging side ofY at leastone of said compartmentsj arev Within; easy reach of a person on said stand.

4.` A cashiers station according tov claim 3,; in which said compartments have bottom walls which slope down- Wardly from the chargingside to the withdrawal side so th goods willslide therein toward the said withdrawal si e.

5. 'A' cashiers station including a cash register for selfservice` stores, which comprises infconrbination: a plurality of withdrawal compartments substantially rectangular when-viewedfromabove and in side by side relation for receiving purchased goods after the price ,of-v the latter has beenv registered, by said: cash register, eachl of said compartments having a charging side on the side toward said cash register at which the purchased goods are placed into the. respective compartment and also yhaving a withdrawal `side 'on the side thereof remote from said cash register at, which thefcustomer withdrawsthe goods purchased by the customer, the charging sides ofsaid compartments being in a common plane and the longitudinal axes of-said compartments being parallel, nonrotatable table means .supporting said cash register, said table means also including a depositing section forreceiving the goods Aselected vby thecustomer prior to; the registration of the price of said goods by vsaid cash register, a' cashiers stand between. said tabley means andi said withdrawal compartments, straight. ytrack means extending substantially transversely with regard to thek longitudinal axes. of ,said compartments, Va carriage supporting said .table means and said-stand, .and displaceably mounted on said track means-so as to be movable in astraight line substantially transversely with regard to the` longitudinal axes of said compartments selectively. into any` oneaof a plurality ofrpositionsefromeach of which-said cash registerand said depositingsection andrthecharging;v side of .at least one of. said compartmentszis within easy reach of a person ou said4 stand, rand money-tray means extending substantially parallel to said track` means and above said compartments .and within thereach of-v apersonv at said withdrawal .side of said. compartments and also within easy reachA of a person at the charging sideof said com partments for receiving money placed on said money-tray means from said `charging side and said withdrawal side.

6. A cashiers station according to claim 5, which includes a change return device provided with a spout arranged above said money-tray means.

7. A cashiers station including a cash register for selfservice stores, which comprises in combination: a plurality of withdrawal compartments substantially rectangular when viewed from above and in side by side relation for receiving purchased goods after the price of the latter has been registered by said cash register, each of said cornpartments having a charging side on the side toward the cash register at which the purchased goods are placed into the respective compartment and also having a withdrawal side on the side remote from the cash register at which the customer withdraws the goods purchased by the customer, the charging sides of said compartments being in a common plane and the longitudinal axes of said compartments being parallel, non rotatable table means supporting said cash register, said table means also including a deposi-ting section for receiving the goods selected by the customer prior to the registration of the price of said goods by said cash register, a cashiers stand between said table and said withdrawal compartments, straight track means extending substantially transversely with regard to the longitudinal axes of said compartments, a carriage supporting said table means and said stand and displaceably mounted on said track means so as to be movable in a straight line substantially transversely with regard to the longitudinal axes of said compartments selectively into any one of a plurality of positions from each of which said cash register and said depositing section and at least the charging side of one of said compartments is within easy reach of a person on said stand, money-tray means extending substantially parallel to said track means and above said compartments and within the reach of a person at said withdrawal side of said compartments and also within easy reach of a person at the charging side of said compartments for receiving money placed on said moneytray means from said charging side and said withdrawal side, and wall means confining that portion of said cashiers station which is located on said side of said compartments which is opposite the withdrawing side thereof and where said carriage is movable.

S. A cashiers station according to claim 7, in which said Wall means is provided with a door for the passage of said carriage.

9. A cashiers station including a cash register for selfservice stores, which comprises inA combination: a plu- 5 rality of withdrawal compartments substantially rectangular when viewed from above and in side by side relation for receiving purchased goods after the price of the latter has been registered by said cash register, each of said compartments having a charging side on the side toward the cash register at which the purchased goods are placed into the respective compartment and also having a Withdrawal side on the side remote from the cash register at which the customer withdraws the goods purchased by the customer, the charging sides of said compartments being in a common plane and the longitudinal axes of said compartments being parallel, non rotatable table means supporting said cash register, said table means also including a depositing section for receiving the goods selected by the customer prior to the registration of the price of said goods by said cash register, a cashiers stand between said table and said withdrawal compartments, a carriage supporting said table means and said stand, said carriage being movable in a straight line transversely with regard to the longitudinal axes of said compartments selectively into any one of a plurality of positions from each of which said cash register and said depositing section and at least the charging side of one of said compartments are within easy reach of a person on said stand, and means operatively connected to said carriage and operable from the inside 30 of said cashiers station for actuating said carriage.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 796,024 6/58 Great Britain.

LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

KARL I. ALBRECHT, SAMUEL F. COLEMAN,

Examiners. 

1. A CASHIER''S STATION INCLUDING A CASH REGISTER FOR SELFSERVICE STORES, WHICH COMPRISES IN COMBINATION: A PLURALITY OF WITHDRAWAL COMPARTMENTS SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR WHEN VIEWED FROM ABOVE AND IN SIDE BY SIDE RELATION FOR RECEIVING PURCHASED GOODS AFTER THE PRICE OF THE LATTER HAS BEEN REGISTERED BY SAID CASH REGISTER, EACH OF SAID COMPARTMENTS HAVING A CHARGING SIDE ON THE SIDE TOWARD THE CASH REGISTER AT WHICH THE PURCHASED GOODS ARE PLACED INTO THE RESPECTIVE COMPARTMENT AND ALSO HAVING A WITHDRAWAL SIDE ON THE SIDE REMOTE FROM THE CASH REGISTER AT WHICH THE CUSTOMER WITHDRAWS THE GOODS PURCHASED BY THE CUSTOMER, THE CHARGING SIDES OF SAID COMPARTMENTS BEING IN A COMMON PLANE AND THE LONGITUDINAL AXES OF SAID COMPARTMENTS BEING PARALLEL, NON ROTATABLE TABLE MEANS 